Willy Mengue, a leading voice in the opposition to Maurice Kamto’s return as president of the Movement for the Rebirth of Cameroon (MRC), has called on Equinoxe TV to restore balance in its news coverage.
The demand for balanced reporting concerns the political party’s portrayal following Vice President Mamadou Mota’s appearance on the program ‘La Verité en Face’ on Sunday evening.
According to Mengue, this step is essential for ‘fairness in news treatment,’ ‘the pursuit of journalistic truth,’ and ‘the right to information.’
In an open letter to Equinoxe TV’s CEO, Mengue wrote: ‘It is urgent to organize, failing a direct debate between the two factions, a substantial right of reply to the program ‘La Verité en Face’ devoted to the contested return of Professor Maurice Kamto at the helm of the MRC. You saw fit to give a microphone to political ally Mamadou Mota on this pertinent issue. The quest for truth demands that you grant the same service to the protesters, whom I represent.’
On Sunday night, Mamadou Mota defended the return to the MRC presidency. Mengue formally contests this, calling it a ‘fraudulent return.’
Equinoxe TV is known as ‘the people’s channel that reports beyond the image.’ Your coverage of the manipulation of the MRC’s fundamental texts to facilitate the fraudulent return of a resignee to the party leadership will be fair and equitable only if the claimed right of reply is granted. The Cameroonian people are watching you on this matter.’
